en_tn_condensed/deu/33/09.md

# General Information:

Moses continues to bless the tribes of Israel, which he began to do in [Deuteronomy 33:2](../33/02.md). The blessings are short poems. He continues describing the tribe of Levi, which he began to do in [Deuteronomy 33:8](./08.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-parallelism]])

# who said about his father and mother

The word "who" refers to the Yahweh's "faithful one" of  [Deuteronomy 33:8](./08.md). This is the tribe of Levi.

# your word

"your commands"

# guarded ... kept

These words both mean to watch over and to protect. They are often metaphors for "obeyed," but here they should be translated literally because they refer to a time when the Levites literally killed people who were rebelling against Yahweh. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-doublet]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor]])